Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Locks have been in use for many years and for many different reasons. Protecting property and preventing crime are examples of situations where locks are used. While locks can provide some protection, locks are not always foolproof. As a result, the present disclosure appreciates that there is a need to continue to develop increasingly secure locks that are harder to pick or circumvent.
Generally, a lock is a device that can be opened or closed with a complementary object such as a key. When a lock is purchased, it comes with a key that is configured specifically for the accompanying lock. In order to provide security, the key is specially configured to fit in the lock and operate a locking mechanism in the lock. The key and lock pair often have corresponding mechanical features than allow the key to be inserted into the lock and that allow the key to mechanically operate the lock mechanism.
Locking mechanisms are often mechanical in nature. For example, the locking mechanism in a conventional pin tumbler lock operates using pins of varying lengths that cooperate with a plug. Rotation of the plug is needed to open the lock. Before the key is inserted into the plug, the pins are typically biased or positioned such that the pins block or prevent rotation of the plug. As a result, the lock cannot be opened without the appropriate key. Insertion of the paired key into the lock's plug aligns the pins in a particular way that allows the plug to rotate. In this case, the key is typically configured such that when the key is inserted into the lock, the key aligns the pins. Once the pins are aligned the key can be used to rotate the plug and open the lock.
Although conventional mechanical locks generally provide a measure of security, they are not completely secure. Many types of conventional locks can be picked or actuated without the key for various reasons. Mechanical lock systems, for instance, often experience wear, have physical intolerances, or have other characteristics that can make a lock susceptible to being picked. A metal jig, for instance, can be used to release a lock mechanism and turn the lock. Although the jig is obviously more difficult to use than the actual key, the jig can nonetheless be used to open the lock. As a result, the ability of the lock to protect property from damage or theft may be reduced.
Some lock-and-key mechanisms use magnetic keys. These magnetic keys can store a signature that can be read by a card reader. When the card is swiped through the card reader or held near the card reader, the key is read and, if the stored data in the key card is verified, the lock is actuated. Unfortunately, there is a risk that the card can be falsified intentionally or compromised.